YosemiteNature

Notes

VOL. XXX

DECEMBER, 1951

NO. 12

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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

National Park Service photo

The Old Village, Christmas, 1927

As suggested by the cheer and beauty of this historic picture, best wishes for theholiday season are extended by the Yosemite Naturalist Division and the YosemiteNatural History Association.

Cover Photo : Half Dome and Merced River in winter. By Ansel Adams from "My Camerain Yosemite Valley ." Reproduction by kind permission of Virginia Adams and HoughtonMifflin Company .

Yosemite Nature NotesTHE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF

THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DIVISION AND

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.

C. P . Russell, Superintendent

D . E . McHenry, Park Naturalist

H . C . Parker, Assoc. Park Naturalist

N. B . Herkenham, Asst. Park Naturalist

W. W. Bryant, Junior Park Naturalist

en_ net_

VOL. XXX

DECEMBER, 1951

NO. 12

A WHITE MEDICINE-MAW(Concluded)

By James O'Meara

This tremendous power over the was worked only by his own In-Indians was signally utilized by Sav- dians, according to his sole orders.age during the first year of the gold- It is no doubt true, that, in obeyingdiscovery rush to the southern mines his commands to them, the Indiansin his extensive Mariposa district, went to the extremity, on two orwhere the placers were very rich . three occasions, of taking life ; atIt would be unjust to say that he was least, that was the story of thatavaricious, yet he knew the worth period, as told by parties who wereand potency of gold, and desired to themselves kept from the minesaccumulate large wealth; and the within Savage's boundaries by hismines, which then proved so rich, Indians . But he never himself tookafforded him great opportunity to life, nor had recourse to violence.amass it . He chose for his purpose a The product of his gold diggingsvery large tract of rich gold region, was enormous, and beyond evenand there not only worked his bun- approximate estimate . On his raredreds of Indians, who were ignorant visits to San Francisco, he had beenof its value, and to whom he gave known to bring with him severalas pay the cheap trinkets, and the hundred pounds of gold-dust, to punblankets and. bright calicoes and chase presents for his Indians andgaudy handkerchiefs, knives, etc., large stocks of supplies . He was notwhich they cared most to have, be- extravagant in his use of money, forsides their daily support of the cam- his wants were few and his habitsrnonest food, but also used them as simple. He was generous to friends,a garrison to keep away intruders, and ready to pour out his gold to aidas he taught them to regard all white or serve them; and every charity,men, and. all who came to prospect often when it was not meritorious,for or locate claims or diggings. found in him a ready and a liberalHence he held this vast region ex- giver . Yet he was an excellent judgeelusively to his own benefit, and it of men, and rarely erred in his esti-

1 . Editor ' s Note : This is the second half of the article that was begun in the November issue,providing the best character sketch of Mai . James D . Savage, discoverer of Yosemite Valley,that has come to our attention . It is reprinted here from 11,e Californian (now defunct) of Fehruary1882, a photostatic copy of which has been furnished the Yosemite Museum by the Universityof California Library. Its presentation is another in our series on Yosemite history in observanceof this Yosemite Centennial year- . the 100th anniversary of the effective discovery of the valleyby Major Savage's Mariposa Battalion, on March 25, 1851 .

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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

mate or opinion of their character throughout the theater that theand worth ; but he sometimes pre- strange-looking man was Major Jimferred to bestow money, in order that Savage, than all eyes were directedhe should escape the tedious story toward him, while his were intentof the applicant . There was neither only upon the stage and the actors.the disposition to wild revel in his He had already made his namenature, nor the indication to boister- famous as an Indian fighter, or, moreousness, even in moments of excite- properly, as one greatly skilled inment, whether roused . to passion or subduing and governing Indians.stirred to exhilaration; a natural And he certainly was a remarkablestealthiness of demeanor, and a dif- man to look upon, as he sat there,fidence when among strangers, akin with his thick long hair parted in theto bashfulness, were peculiar to him ; middle, after the manner of "moun-although in the company he liked, taro men," so grandly setting off hiswherever congeniality and convivi- massive, square, strong, Cromwel-ality ruled, he was a boon compan- Tian face, emotionless as a statue, inion, not apt to be neglected or for- repose, but now and then lightinggotten. Positive in his manner, up, with the more exciting scenes ofwithout betokening aggressiveness, the play, into startling expression,candid in speech, upright in his deal- which gave token of the latentings, and usually more disposed to mighty nature of the man whenavoid an unpleasant scene than to roused.provoke a difficulty, he did not read- Among the many stories related ofily form new acquaintances, and he Savage's arts and means by which

clung with tenacity to strongly to manage or overcome intractableformed friendships. He had more Indians, is one wherein he sue-disdain and contempt in his compo- ceeded in ridding his region of asition than hatred or revenge, and band of renegades from the differenthe despised rather than feared either tribes, who disregarded all authorityfoes or danger .

and defied every power . He planted,On one of his visits to San Fran- in due season, a large patch of

cisco—his last, in fact---he visited watermelons, and just before theyMaguire 's jenny Lind Theater, in ripened, whilst in dangerous greencompany with Mr. A. J . Moulder, and state, he made a protracted visit tothere witnessed James Stark, the Stockton . In his absence, and notfavorite tragedian of that period, and fearing the disciplined Indians hehis wife, formerly Mrs. Kirby, in had left in charge of the place, thesome of their best acting . It was evi- renegade band made a foray upondently a fresh and new treat to him, the patch, gorging themselves withand gave token that he had been a the unripe and cholera-provokingstranger to city life before his advent melons . They glutted to their ownto this coast . The performance de- destruction . In a few days barely alighted him, and he wanted to ex- half-dozen of the whole band werepress his hearty appreciation of it in alive, and these in such miserable,a more substantial form than the ad- debilitated condition, as to be ob-mission price, or words or applause . jects of pity more than of fear orHe seemed entirely unaware, too, anger. On Savage's return, hethat, as he sat in the theater box, he found, just as he had expected, thatwas himself the object of consider- his melons and his rebellious sub-able interest to the audience : for, no jects had together disappeared, andsooner had the whisper passed the manner of their death was their

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

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own misconduct. He had safely in hard-fought and desperately con-enough reckoned upon his clear tested battle . On the head waters

knowledge of Indian character ; and of the San Joaquin River a severethe obedient of his tribe felt that the fight occurred ; and in the Yosemitevictims had, by their rapacity and country, and at the head waters ofgluttony, deprived them of the the Chowchilla, other conflicts were

luscious feast they had themselves had.so much craved .

In one of these, upon a bold, jut-The influx of gold-hunters in ting point, underneath the mountain

Mariposa district---which then com- range which extends from the Yo-prised the whole country from the Semite hights toward the Fresno,Merced to the Tulare lakes--was too Savage's command was once nearlygreat for Savage to withstand or overcome by the Indians, underguard against. The consequence Bautista, a wild and wily savage,was, the Indians came to learn the who had been educated and trainedvalue of the gold-dust they dug from at one of the coast missions, but hadthe rich earth, and a rebellious spirit tired of civilized life, and returned topervaded all the tribes . Contact with his horse-stealing, marauding, andthe miners wrought its evils with the warlike tribe, so much the better pre-Indians, and in the course of time, pared to prosecute implacable hos-

an "Indian war " was precipitated. tilities against the native Californ-Savage had been the first to per- ians, and the whites then in theceive the trouble, and was also the mining district . Savage succeededfirst to make preparation to meet and in getting his men away in fair order;

subdue it . He soon left his customary but Bautista dearly gained the vie-camping and mining grounds, made tory . It brought him so much honorbetter acquaintance with the miners and importance, however, that when,and whites generally, and aban- in April, 1851, Indian Commissionersdoned his rule over the plotting Wozencraft, McKee, and Barbour

tribes .

made a treaty of peace with thehostile tribes, the heroic Bautista was

The war broke out in the winter of selected by Dr. Wozencraft to serve1850-51 . At that time Savage had a the Commission—much after the pur-trading-post on Fresno River, at the pose that President Jackson took thepoint subsequently occupied fora great Iowa chief Blackhawk to servesimilar purpose by Dr . Lewis Leach, in 1832, in a tour of the United States,then and still a prominent citizen of to convince him of the folly of fur-that region. Several white men were ther warring upon the whites, somurdered by the Indians, and at- overwhelmingly numerous and for-tacks from the savages were fre- midable--by taking him down toquent. A volunteer company, fairly Stockton and San Francisco to showarmed, was organized to pursue and him the overpowering superiority ofcapture the hostiles . Other similar the American people then in Cali-organizations soon followed, and forma, and thus induce him to main-Savage, with the rank of major, was tarn the peace.chosen to the command of the force,numbering about two hundred men, Bautista greatly enjoyed the freewith Captains Bowling, Keykendall, rides on stages, and traveling onand Dill, next in grade, and Dr . river steamers--after he got well

Leach as surgeon . The war ended, over his first scare and a keen runafter a decisive defeat of the Indians, of four miles into the chapparel out-

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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

side of Stockton, when the steam- ing, pridefully announced, as hewhistle blew its ear-piercing blast stamped his foot upon his nativejust as he had put his foot on the heath, like a badly fire-stained, cop-gang-plank to step aboard the H . T. per-kettle-colored MacGregor, "HereClay----and his only fear of mortal me combattee Savage! Lick him allperil whilst in San Francisco was at up!" He was now a peaceful, dis-a daguerreotype gallery, when the ciplined, thieving, vicious, Reserva-artist leveled the camera tube at tion Indian, the admirer and thehim, and threw the black velvet cloth suitor of the "Queen," who had beenover his own head, as he prepared the last, the youngest, the handsom-to take the frightened warrior's plc- est, and the favorite of Savage'sture . It required time and explana- Mormon-like wives ; but the "Queen"tion, and much persuasion, after a declined alike the suit of Bautista,keen personal inspection of the won- and of all others who similarlyderful apparatus, besides the taking wooed while she wouldn't.of a picture of Dr . Wozencraft him- After the war, Savage engagedself, to satisfy Bautista that it was again in trading and in cattle-ranch-not a brass cannon loaded to the ing . Bad blood had sprung up be-muzzle that was confronting him as tween him and some of the settlershe sat in the operating-chair . But all along King's River . He was fearless,this agony of mind and terror were and felt the security from danger, atdispelled, and exuberant joy spread the hands of those he disliked,over his sullen, ferocious, dusky which is expressed in seeminglyface, strong in its savage character- careless but purposeful disdain andistics, as he viewed the marvelous contempt . Among those towardtaking off of his own form and front whom he thus felt was Major Harvey,in counterfeit presentment . He felt then the County Judge of Tulare . Hehimself, apparently, every inch, had spoken foully of Harvey, and"Big Injun, me!" and he was cer- his language had been reported totainly the wickedest in looks and that gentleman . August 16th, 1852,nature. Nor did he ever afterwards Savage visited King's River Reser-neglect occasion to boast his victory vation, where William Campbell,over Savage .

whom he also disliked, was agent.So late as 1857, while the writer of Judge Marvin of Tuolumne was there

this was on his way from Fresno present with Major Harvey . The ionReservation to Yosemite Valley, with ter asked Savage if the reported lan-Agent Lewis and a party of four, ac- guage had been uttered by him,companied by Bautista and five and, on Savage responding that itother Reservation Indians as guides was correctly reported, Harvey de-and servants, the hero of that war manded its retraction . Savage's onlyled the party eight miles out of the response was a slap in the face, andway to gratify his own pride in bring- at the instant his pistol dropped froming them to the scene of the battle, his loose shirt bosom . Harvey in-where, in his outburst of exultation, stantly drew his pistol and fired,he stole from the writer's coat-pocket with fatal effect . Savage fell dead.a bright red silk handkerchief of gen- An examination before a neighbor-emus dimensions, which he deftly ing justice of the peace ended inhid under his blanket-wrapper, and Major Harvey's immediate release,with his own dirty, red rag of a as it was held that he had acted incalico head-dress, energetically clear self-defense.waved in the stiff breeze of the mom-

The remains of Major Savage

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were at the time buried near where memory it commemorates, and uponhe fell . In 1855, they were removed one of its sides is carved simply hisby Dr. Leach, his firm friend, and at name . He sleeps the everlastingone time his business partner, and sleep in the enduring, rock-boundgiven permanent sepulture at the bed in the middle of the stream onpoint on Fresno River known as whose banks he last dewlt, and its"Leach's old store," which had also gentle murmurings in placid flow,been Savage 's trading-post . Dr. and its wild turbulence when lashedLeach erected over the spot a gran- by angry winds, are alike as theite monument, ten feet high, square calmness and the passionate mo-and massive and stern, typical of ments of his lifetime, the lullaby ofthe robust form and the sturdy spirit his peaceful rest, and the weirdof the strange and strong man whose threnody of his violent end.

THE CAVES OF YOSEMITE VALLEY

By Peter M. McLellan, Field School, 1951

When looking for natural caves For the purpose of this discussionone usually does not go to Yosemite. I wish to define a cave as a rock en-Obviously, no limestone areas may closure having one or more definitebe expected in a continuous granite entrances, and at least portions offormation, of which the park is prin- the interior in total darkness . Thiscipally composed . Discouragement immediately eliminates the majoritywas offered from every side, even of the "hole-in-the-wall" cavitiesfrom six other speleologists who which may be formed almost any-were also in the valley . Nonetheless, where from the random accumula-in the summer of 1 .951 an effort was tion of talus along the base of themade to locate and describe any high valley walls . It does, on theexisting caves in Yosemite Valley, other hand, establish certain struc-for its extensive talus slopes do rep- tures as definitely being in the caveresent opportunity for boulder caves category.to occur. The Indian Caves of the One of the more significant findsvalley are, of course, a well-known recorded this summer was that ofpoint of interest; and they are also Carbonate Cave, which is locatedthe only caves within the park near the bridle path between Indianknown by the author to be on record . Caves and Mirror Lake, just north of

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Iron Spring . This is a boulder cavehaving a small secondary entrance32 feet beyond the largest or outerlimit of the cave . This distance wasmeasured north on a rise of 25 de-agrees from the horizontal (see photo-graph). From this point the cave isdark and rises 14 feet vertically, hav-ing two standing levels within . Theimportant feature of this cave is theencrustation of cave coral coveringthe granite boulder walls . This is asurface coating of carbonate resem-bling tiny stalactites and stalag-mites, some being rounded or bead-shaped while others are cylindrical,pointed formations. Examinationwith hydrochloric acid suggests thisto be the mineral dolomite, a cal-cium-magnesium carbonate.

This material is deposited uponthe walls by evaporation of mineral-bearing water. Presence of the de-posit is governed by the character ofthe ground water in the vicinity,which in turn is governed by thekind of water-soluble materials withwhich it has come in contact . Asground water is exceedingly mobile,it can readily pick up mineral ma-terial in one place and deposit it,for example, in a cave many milesfrom its source. It is thus possible tohave, deposited on a wall rock, amineral which is of an entirely dif-ferent composition from that of thewall rock.

The occurrence of carbonate en-crustations in areas of apparentlycontinuous granite is rather rare.Surface coatings have been ob-served on some of the talus bouldersof the valley and on the sides of alarge erratic boulder a quarter of amile north of the Lye)" Glacier . Dr.W. R . Halliday points out in a letterto the author that cave coral hasbeen observed in two southern. Cali-fornia granite areas: Coahuila CreekCave, near Anza Post Office in theSan Jacinto area, and on the under-

Pbbt,, by Prier Mdaltm,

Entrance to Carbonate Cavev, Yosemite Valley

side of a granite boulder about onemile west of Soda Creek Cave onthe south fork of the Tule River . Theproximity of our Carbonate Cave toIron Spring, which is also seeminglyout of place, might indicate a hiddenlens or stratum of rock other thangranite to be present.

There is also a certain amount ofsoil present between the boulders ofCarbonate Cave. Small funnel-shaped holes, a quarter to half aninch in depth, have developed wherethe soil covers the ledges, indicatingdrips during periods of moisture . Alice millipede and several dozendead crane flies were found in thedark portion of the cave.

Just west of Carbonate Cave fourlesser caves were observed, none ofwhich contained cave coral.

A discussion of Indian Caves is inorder to establish its place in thelist of caves being located . The gen-eral appearance is one of massiveboulders, with one of them dominat-ing the view seen from the parkinglot . This particular rock, 40 feet high,

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119

forms the main cave room . The en- is at this time the largest known cavetrance is 17½ feet wide, but as the in the park . Although a few peoplevisitor will see, the average ceiling have known of this cave it may beheight is only 2 feet . If this is no ob- assumed that certain portions of itstacle one may proceed straight in have not been entered since thefor a distance of 44 feet until an ac- withdrawal of the Indians. A mem-cumulation of small rocks is met . Re- ber of one of the exploring partiestracing steps to the entrance, one this summer found an oblique Yumamay circle the massive rock either spear point lying on the floor of oneto the right or left and find many of the more inaccessible rooms . Thissmall openings, while some are is the first record of such a point be-large enough to hide several people. ing found in Yosemite Valley ; theA few hours may be spent examin- point probably predates all othering and exploring these openings . Indian culture in the area .'By working one 's way well up the On approaching this cave from thetalus slope, about 10 feet higher trail several things about the en-than the main rock, several more trance should be noticed. There arecontinuous openings or entrances two mortar holes in the large flatmay be found . One of the highest of rock lust outside the entrance . Be-these slants back down for 43 feet vend, there appear

ending in a pile of small rocks of an old wall ofppear

the tokindthe

commonlyremainsaly

apparently the same ones whicherminate the main room below

. used by the Indians to block the en-

t Here the author made verbal cam- trance. About this area a strong cold

munication with a person in the end draft seems to come from the cave.of that room

. No light could be seen Looking above, it may be seen that

filtering through the rock barrier, there is no lichen growing on thewhich may be 4 to 10 feet thick

. If rocks just over and around the en-we assume a thickness of 8 feet for trance due to this localized draft . The

draft ceases inside the cave althoughthis partition, the cave proper is, a cool temperature prevails through-then, with one discontinuity, about out.95 feet long . Several side passagesof a minor nature exist in the upper

The size of this cave is not readily

section .

apparent to the casual observer whoThe name Indian Caves is appro- enters . Many places require strug-

priate because flat rocks in the area cling through narrow passages,outside have some mortar holes some no larger than the width of awhich the Indians made in pounding medium-sized person . Some requireacorns. Logically, it may be sup- crawling on one or the other side,posed that the Indians used most of stomach, or back, or head or feetthe more accessible portions of the first . Just how large the cave iscaves for food storage and coca- would be difficult to say, since twosional shelter.

reconnaissance parties spent a totalContinuing west along the north of 8 hours in only part of the cave.

edge of the valley we come to the Over 4½ hours were spent in map-Yosemite Falls Indian Caves . The ping part of this area. New passage-main cave in this area is only about ways continually came into view100 yards north along the footpath and new roams appeared afterto the falls from the parking lot, and crawling through small holes at

i . Watch for a future arlfcle by Mr . McLellan on the significance of Yuma points in Yosemite._Ed .

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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

what, even at second glance, would

It is strongly recommended that noappear to be a dead end .

one attempt to explore this cave un-Part of the south side of the cave less accompanied by several people

has now been mapped. Three levels all carrying adequate light sourcewere found here . The upper level is and possessing some degree ofthe most frequently visited, if judged climbing skill . Above all, some veryby the papers dropped about . The strong clothing should be worn assecond lower level contained the the rocks are quite sharp and im-room where the Yuma point was movable in close quarters.found. The lowest level is damp . There are undoubtedly manyOne room here has a sandy floor . more caves to be found . AlreadyIn another section of the cave, prob- there are reports of a cave near theably middle level, cave coral was Mirror Lake Loop Trail and of twofound. The map now being made in Tenaya Canyon . Another haswill indicate just how large the cave been reported north of the Yosemiteis and, with the aid of the letter Falls Indian Caves. With stimulatedbench marks that have been burned interest it may be possible to locateonto the rocks, will show the best these as well as others . There is aroute to follow in exploring the cave . certain amount of value in knowing

A fairly large number of spiders just where these caves are and tolive near the entrances . Just 25 feet what use they were put by the In-into the dark area from an entrance dians. In addition to indicatinga Sierra Nevada salamander (En- former Indian campsites, they can,sating sierras) was found . Acorn cups if found in their original condition, beappeared frequently in parts of the of considerable archaeological valuecave .

to the park.

Old Village Chapel, Yosemite Valley

rvmo vz n=,d stems

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